Rockies' Helton says sorry for DUI arrest

Veteran meets media, teammates for first time

The Rockies' Todd Helton spoke publicly for the first time on Sunday about his DUI arrest.
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Darron Cummings
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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- This is the last place Todd Helton expected to be after the Rockies' first full-squad workout Sunday at Salt River Fields.

Eleven days after being charged with drunken and careless driving, Helton addressed the media in the theater room, apologizing for his "monumental mistake" and saying he has sought help to prevent it from happening again.

"Last week I got behind the wheel of my truck after I had drank. All I can do now is apologize and ask for forgiveness. I spoke to my teammates today, and they were very supportive," said Helton, who is expected to retire after this season.

"I'm very grateful to my wife, my family, my teammates and the Colorado Rockies organization for their support. I am determined to learn from my mistakes, and I've gotten help."

Helton, 39, declined to discuss the nature of help he's receiving. He told The Denver Post after the news conference that he doesn't believe he has a drinking problem. However, he reiterated that he's following a protocol to avoid another misstep and recognizes the gravity of the situation.

Helton talked for 9 minutes, 47 seconds, his voice halting at times as he recalled telling his older daughter, Tierney, about the incident.

"I told her I made a mistake. Just like Daddy forgives you for your mistake. I have to learn from it. When I talk about taking the right steps, I am talking about her too," Helton said. "She holds me very accountable too.

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Helton was arrested Feb. 6 at 2:39 a.m. at a gas station near his Thornton-area home. A witness reported a truck driving erratically on Colorado Boulevard. According to the police report, Helton was holding lottery tickets and chewing tobacco when he walked out of the store. Helton's alcohol-test results have not been released by the Thornton Police Department, and his next court date is scheduled for May 20 in Adams County Court.

Sunday, he declined to elaborate much on the incident. He had been preparing and packing in the hours before being stopped, planning to drive to spring training the following day.

"The old saying is that anything that happens after midnight is not good. I can attest that it's true," Helton said. "One time is too many in making this mistake."

Helton delayed addressing the issue until Sunday because "it was a matter of gathering my thoughts and making sure everything I said, I can back up."

"We have all needed a little grace from time to time. He stepped up and faced the music," Weiss said. "Now it's time to play ball."

Before Weiss met with the club for the first time, Helton talked with his teammates behind closed doors. He took responsibility and explained to them that "I never thought it could happen to me, and it did, and just be aware of it.'?"

Several teammates said an apology to them wasn't necessary. They recognized his contrition in the initial statement after the arrest.

"It's his personal life. We know what happened is out of character for him," veteran outfielder Michael Cuddyer said.

Helton received a warm reaction from the smattering of fans on the cloverleaf fields used for batting practice. He signed several autographs after hitting and thanked one woman for relaying a story about attending a game when he hit a home run.

"Overall it's been positive. There's nobody harder on myself than me," he said. "I was more disappointed with myself than anybody. ... Obviously it is a tough situation dealing with this. It's something in my mind. I don't know how far behind I want it, because you're always going to remember. That's how you're going to learn. As far as baseball, I'm ready to go."

Helton admitted that he briefly considered not returning for the final season after his arrest. But it was a fleeting thought fueled by the embarrassment.

"Maybe for a brief moment. It crept into my mind," Helton said. "You don't want to go out injured and certainly don't want to go out after this situation."

Entering his 17th season, all spent with the Rockies, Helton's role is uncertain. He's the most accomplished player in franchise history but is coming off hip labrum surgery that contributed heavily to the worst year of his career. He hit .238 with seven home runs, 37 RBIs and a .343 on-base percentage in 69 games.

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